Updated September 30, 2026 · AcademyCue Editorial Team
Archer Review vs The Princeton Review
What sets them apart
| Compare | The Princeton Review ReviewSee alternativesSee alternatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $59Lower | $299 |
| Prices by exam | nclex RN: $79 nclex PN: $59 | sat: $299 (SAT Self-Paced); sat + act: $499 (SAT & ACT Self-Paced) |
| Access period | 1 to 6 months | 12 monthsHigher |
| Practice questions | 3,100 | 3,700Higher |
| Full-length practice tests | 30Higher | 9 |
| Guarantee terms | First-time Q-Bank user, 80% Q-Bank, 80% live review, 4 high scores | Better scores or your money back on eligible test prep programs; pass your test or your money back on NCLEX-RN and CFA programs; repeat the program free if not satisfied; U.S. and Canada customers only |
| Money-back period | 1 day | 60 daysHigher |
| Markets | Not confirmed | US, CA |
Same on both: Live classes (Yes), Score guarantee (Money back), Free trial (Yes), Tutoring add-on (Yes).
We earn a commission when you sign up through links on this site. Partner status can affect where a brand appears in our rankings.
Key differences
- Price from is lower at Archer Review: $59 vs $299.
- Access period is higher at The Princeton Review: 12 months vs 1 to 6 months.
- Practice questions is higher at The Princeton Review: 3,700 vs 3,100.
- Full-length practice tests is higher at Archer Review: 30 vs 9.
- Money-back period is higher at The Princeton Review: 60 days vs 1 day.
- Support channels: only Archer Review offers Email.
- Support channels: only The Princeton Review offers Phone, Help centre.
- Exams: only The Princeton Review offers Sat, Act, Gre.
Our verdict on each
Archer Review
Archer Review suits nursing students sitting the NCLEX who want a fixed access window, live classes and a money back promise rather than a rolling subscription. Entry is $59 for the NCLEX PN plan, and the guarantee claim window is 1 day for new Q Bank users.
The Princeton Review
The Princeton Review suits US and Canadian students who want live classes, tutoring and a money back guarantee from a single provider rather than a bare question bank. It scores 9.1 overall, with 60 days of money back cover on eligible programs offsetting an entry price of $299.
Score breakdown
| Area | Archer Review | The Princeton Review |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.3HigherEntry is $59 for 1 to 6 months of access, priced at 22 of 65. | 8.7Entry starts at $299, high next to rivals, though the tutoring subscription range of $39.99 to $179.99 softens ongoing cost. |
| Offer | 8.9Live classes, 30 full length tests, a free trial and a tutoring add-on under one purchase. | 9.2Higher3,700 practice questions, 9 full length tests and live classes inside 12 months of access. |
| Trust | Not confirmed | 9.7A money back guarantee with a 60 day window, plus support on phone and help centre. |
How they place
| Ranking | Archer Review | The Princeton Review |
|---|---|---|
| CPA, CFA, PMP and nursing exam prep | 4 of 33 | 7 of 33 |
The numbers side by side
| Fact | Archer Review | The Princeton Review |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $59 | $299 |
| Access period | 1 to 6 months | 12 months |
| Practice questions | 3,100 | 3,700 |
| Full-length practice tests | 30 | 9 |
| Money-back period | 1 day | 60 days |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Archer Review | The Princeton Review |
|---|---|---|
| Exams | Nclex | Sat, Act, Gre, Gmat, Lsat, Mcat, Nclex, CPA, CfaCovers more |
| Legal entity | Archer Review, LLC | TPR Education, LLC d/b/a The Princeton Review |
| Headquarters | United States | United States |
| Founded | Not confirmed | 1981 |
| Support channels | Phone, Help centre |
Tutoring
| Fact | Archer Review | The Princeton Review |
|---|---|---|
| Lesson price from | Not confirmed | $29 |
| Subscription price | Not confirmed | $39.99 to $179.99 |
| Trial lesson | Not confirmed | Free |
| Free trial length | Not confirmed | 14 days |
| Subjects | Not confirmed | Math, English, Science, Languages, Coding, School |
| Lesson format | Not confirmed | 1to1, App |
| Number of tutors | Not confirmed | 3,000 |
| Tutor vetting | Not confirmed | Screened |
| Tutor background checks | Not confirmed | Yes |
| Satisfaction guarantee | Not confirmed | Better grades guaranteed for students who work with a tutor 2 hours a month for 3 consecutive months in one subject |
Online courses
| Fact | Archer Review | The Princeton Review |
|---|---|---|
| Price per month | Not confirmed | $39.99 |
| Free tier | Not confirmed | No |
| Platform type | Not confirmed | Curated |
| Graded assessments | Not confirmed | Yes |
| Offline downloads | Not confirmed | No |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Archer Review | The Princeton Review | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price from | $59below the median | $299above the median | $69 |
| Access period | 1 to 6 monthsbelow the median | 12 monthsabove the median | 9 |
| Practice questions | 3,100above the median | 3,700above the median | 3,000 |
| Full-length practice tests | 30highest quarter | 9above the median | 8 |
| Money-back period | 1 daylowest quarter | 60 dayshighest quarter | 30 days |
Median across 50 listed providers.
Pros and cons
Archer Review
Pros
- The money back promise is the shared setup in this group, at 66.7% of listings, and Archer Review meets it with a 1 day claim window.
- Access is sold as a window of 1 to 6 months, so the entry outlay can be matched to the test date rather than renewing each month.
- A free trial lets a candidate weigh the question bank before paying, with a tutoring add-on there for anyone who wants more than self study.
Cons
- Support runs on email only, so phone and chat are absent from a service bought against a fixed exam date.
- The money back claim window is 1 day, far short of the 30-day recorded across this group.
- Coverage is limited to nclex, so anyone sitting a different professional exam is looking elsewhere.
The Princeton Review
Pros
- A money back guarantee on eligible test prep programs, with a 60 day window and a free repeat of the program for US and Canadian students.
- Breadth under one roof: sat, act and gre all sit within the same provider, spanning school and professional exams.
- Study depth of 3,700 practice questions and 9 full length tests, with live classes and 12 months of access.
Cons
- Entry price of $299 sits well above Testprep Training at $12.99 and Zebra Education at $49.
- There is no free tier, so the 14 day free trial and the free trial lesson are the whole no-cost taste.
- Offline download is not offered, so every practice session needs a live connection.
Who each suits
Archer Review
Who it suits
- Nursing candidates preparing for the NCLEX who want live classes and a full length test bank in the same purchase.
- Anyone who can finish inside 1 to 6 months of access and would rather pay once than renew monthly.
- Buyers who want a free trial and a money back promise before committing to a paid plan.
Who should look elsewhere
- Testprep Training, at $12.99, for buyers whose budget settles the choice ahead of question bank depth.
- DRCertifications, at $19.99, for candidates who want the cheapest way into a professional exam course.
- Allied Schools, at $68, for buyers who would rather pay more than the $59 entry figure here.
The Princeton Review
Who it suits
- Students in US and CA who want live classes and one provider across sat, act and gre.
- Learners who would rather have money back protection than a bare course: the guarantee is money back and runs 60 days on eligible programs.
- Families who need tutoring alongside exam prep, with 3,000 screened tutors, background checks and a free trial lesson.
Who should look elsewhere
- Budget shoppers, who would start at $12.99 with Testprep Training instead of $299 here.
- Students who need downloadable study material, since offline download is not offered; Zebra Education starts at $49 if entry cost matters more.
- IELTS candidates, who may prefer the specialist route E2Language covers from $69.
Current offers
The Princeton Review
Current offer
Bonus
10 hours On-Demand Tutoring reduced to $200: $200 (normally $349)
Add-on to the SAT & ACT Self-Paced package
Source, checked September 30, 2026
Free trial
14-Day Free Trial of SAT Self-Paced: 14 days
Offered on the SAT Self-Paced and SAT & ACT Self-Paced course options
Source, checked September 30, 2026
Country by country
| Country | Archer Review | The Princeton Review |
|---|---|---|
| Canada | No | Yes |
| United States | No | Yes |
Questions about each
Archer Review
How much does Archer Review cost to start?+
The NCLEX PN plan starts at $59. The two exam prices listed are nclex RN: $79 nclex PN: $59, so the RN and PN tracks are priced separately rather than folded into a single bundle. Access runs 1 to 6 months from the purchase, so the entry figure covers the whole study window rather than a monthly cycle that renews.
How long does access last, and does the plan renew?+
Access is sold as a window of 1 to 6 months, and that window is the unit of purchase rather than a subscription that renews. The NCLEX PN plan starts at $59 for that whole stretch. A candidate who needs to study past the end of the window looks at buying again, which is the practical trade against paying monthly.
The Princeton Review
How much does The Princeton Review cost?+
The SAT Self-Paced course starts at $299, and the combined SAT and ACT Self-Paced course is priced above that as a package. Tutoring is separate: $39.99 covers a month inside a subscription range of $39.99 to $179.99, and individual lessons are priced at $29. The course price is the entry payment, while recurring spend comes from the tutoring subscription.
Is there a free trial or a free tier?+
There is a free trial running 14 days, and there is no free tier of study material sitting underneath it. For tutoring, a free trial lesson gives a session at no charge before any commitment. Together those two make up the entire no-cost entry route into the brand.